John Barclay said in a Facebook post that the accident happened when his brother’s “metal-tipped lance, used for catching rings (not jousting), hit the ground and flipped. Freak accident. It impaled him under his sternum killing him.”

John Fulton, the president of the SCA, said Barclay was trying to spear a paper plate on the ground. “I’ve never had an injury on the field like this, ever, that led to something like this” Fulton told WLWT.

The SCA said Barclay, who performed under the name “Master Terafan Greydragon,” was a longtime member and had practiced medieval sports for more than 30 years. “Everybody that knew him is just dead stunned. His ability, skill and attention to detail is just total” said Fulton.

The Hamilton County Coroner’s office listed Barclay’s death as an accident.

Barclay, a retired Army lieutenant colonel, is survived by his wife and two daughters.

The Society for Creative Anachronism said it would investigate the incident to see how to prevent a similar accident in the future.